TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR THE FSA BUSINESS COMMITTEE (Reviewed by the Board August 2020)

Purpose: The Business Committee is a committee to which the FSA Board has delegated functions as detailed below. It exists to provide appropriate high-level oversight of financial and operational matters at Board level and support the translation of policy into effective results.

Transparency: It meets in the open so that it is clear to interested parties and the public on what basis it has taken its decisions and what evidence it has taken into account in reaching them. There are some issues that need to be discussed in private, because they relate to issues that are commercial in confidence, are the subject of live negotiations in which the public interest could be adversely affected, or relate to individuals.

Membership: All members of the Board are members of the Business Committee. The Chief Executive and members of the Executive Team are also members of the Business Committee up to a number equivalent to the Non-Executive members of the Board excluding the Chair. The Chief Executive will be responsible for determining which members of the Executive are members of the Business Committee.

Chair: The Chair of the FSA.

Quorum: Four Non Executive Board Members, of whom one to be one of the Members from Northern Ireland or Wales plus the Chair of the meeting, plus three Executive Team members including the Chief Executive or their nominated deputy.

Reporting: The Business Committee will publish its minutes. The Terms of Reference for the Business Committee will be reviewed annually by the Board together along with the Terms of Reference and Standing Orders for the Board.

Meetings: The Business Committee shall meet at least 4 times a year.

Responsibilities:

The Business Committee will on behalf of the Board:

1. Scrutinise the financial and other performance information relating to the FSA and advise the Chief Executive in the discharge of the Accounting Officer responsibilities.

2. Identify and monitor operational and delivery risks.

3. Approve the annual business plan and maintain oversight of major financial decisions in line with that plan.

4. In private, consider confidential matters relating to the position to be adopted on behalf of the UK in international discussions concerning food and animal feed law.

5. Consider such other matters as may from time to time be delegated to the Business Committee by the main Board.

The Chair may decide that specific issues must be remitted to the Board for decision.